WARNING RACISM RIFE IN ULSTER

Report finds more than half won’t accept Traveller or Muslim in family

RACISM is a “huge problem” in Northern Ireland, Amnesty International said yesterday.

The human rights charity has called on government to act following the results of a new Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey.

It comes just six months after PSNI statistics revealed almost three people from ethnic minorities are attacked every day.

Amnesty’s Northern Ireland Director Patrick Corrigan said: “This scale of racial prejudice in 2018 should shock us to our core,”

“Politicians and officials need to wake up to this prejudice, which makes Northern Ireland a toxic place to live for too many people from minority ethnic and religious communities.

“We need a much more ambitious and joined-up strategy that must include bringing our race equality laws into line with the rest of the UK.

“Northern Ireland has fallen behind, and an improvement on prosecution and conviction rates for those responsible for race hate crimes.”

The statistics reveal 1,063 racist incidents were reported to the PSNI from July 2016 to June last year but there was no prosecution in 83% of them.

Racist crimes are now more common here than sectarian attacks

Despite the worrying findings, the survey showed strong levels of support for refugees.

Of those quizzed, 64% of people think it is our duty to protect those fleeing war or persecution.

Mr Corrigan added: “There is strong support for providing asylum whether in Syria or elsewhere.

“That is a very welcome recognition of our international human rights responsibilities and an indication most people here have empathy and compassion for refugees.

“The government must build on this sentiment to create a truly welcoming Northern Ireland for all.”

Amnesty is now calling for NI’S race equality legislation to be brought into line with the rest of the UK.

A Department of Justice Official said: “A commitment to review hate crime legislation is included in the draft Programme for Government.

“The Department is currently engaged in a scoping exercise to inform any future legislative review.”

56% would not willingly accept a Traveller marrying into their family.

52% would not willingly accept a Muslim marrying into their family.

47% of people would not willingly accept a Muslim as a close friend.

25% of people would not willingly accept someone from an ethnic minority as a colleague at work.

47% of people think there is more racial prejudice in Northern Ireland now than there was five years ago.

13% of people believe racial prejudice has decreased over the period.